Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-05-08
Early Appreciation Of Hts
Importance by Great
Britain.
The Fraser River Excitement Of
Ie5e-The Hudson Bay Corn
pany In British Territory
contrasted With That
when Said Company
Operated In United
States Territory.

1 ~'~s~s ~-f-A-~A1@@eAJ - tfASN1-A e41 H4010edl
Of the BEitisA Grown travelling hama h
hand with and contingent upon the par
manent establishment and assured soc.
osss Of the Hudson Bay Company. In
the mind Of GoveEnoF DOaRlas this two
fold result vas 10 be attained By thosa
two elements depending upon and co.,
tribusing each 10 The ether. He founded
Victoria as an emporium Of commerce,
. center Of power; be caused 70 Be
alled with q numerous population the
adiacsnt Province Of British Columbia.
Such province vas 10 Be satirsly de-
pendent upon Victeria, and the HudsOn
Bay Company was 20 be the chief ii
moner to the needs Of that people, and
they In turn we're 20 be the 0ependants
upon the company IS their source Of
supply. A true Briton always = YEA
never losing sight Of his duty to tie
Hudson Bay Company, whose agent be
Was he was, indeed, q man loyal 30
every tFust. His plans were full Of
sagacity, admirably conceived and as
admirably executed. He was mistaken,
however. in bis faith that the Hndson
Bay Company was as omnipotsnt as Il
had been in the past. He thought Il
could exert the same infuence with the
British Government a. Il had In hy-eone
days. srhs sceptre lad departed from
JUDAH"
Tm ERAsER RrvKn xxorrKaxKsr rHn
DKATH KHKLL or THE HUDSON RAT
cokPAHK As PROPRIETOR OF
RRTTIsH rKARIToRx.
Tbs termination of the exclusiVeness
Of right In the Hudson Bay Company TO
operate or trade in British America.
west Of the Rocky Mountains, was the
immediate response By the British Gev-
eminent when advised that the Fraser
River excitement" was about 10 be
urged as the basis Of claim 10 Increase
the privileges Of that company and con
tinua territorial or proprietary rights In
the British territory west Of the Rocky
Mountains.
sIR \. LHrToN BULwER ON TIE POLICY
OF PKRPETUATNo TEE PowKR OF
TIE HUDSON BAT ooMPANX IN
BRETIsH TERRTrokx.
II is no part of the purposs of this
article to trace the history Of British
a.
relations Of the Hudson Bay Company
thereto. We are content 10 leave that
history ct the point where the world
renowned Bulwer placed upon record
the following commentaries upon the
Hudson Bay Company. We do claim
that the Fraser River exeitemens'
merits an enduring place among the
notable events In the history Of the
al
because ID evoked those views, because
ID hastened the downfall OF that great
monopoly az an agent in colonization or
settlement.
Having commended the prudence ana
vigilance Of Governor Dougles' admin-
istration. improvised to meet an unan-
ticipated and unparalleled emergency, Sir
Z. Bulwer Lytton, then British Score
taFy Of State for the Colonies, reminds
that official that his commission STRICTLY
vas confined to Vancouver Island. bat
be approves the steps taken to prevent
the landing at Fraser river of articles
prohibited by the customs laws.
The dispatch proceeds with inskrue.
tons as to the terms upon which for
eigners will be permitted 10 navigate
the Frazer river. dissmbark passengers
and goods. The Governor is emphati- |
oally warned against using the powers
entrusted 10 him In maintenanoe Of she |
Hudson Bay Company In the territory,
who under its license IL entitled 10 ex-
elusive trade with the Indians, and Dos
sesses no other right or privilege what
ever" The exclusion OF persons or the
prevention Of importation Of goods, be-
cause Of appFehended interfersucs With
the monopoly, 10 strictly forbidden.
"still more 10 make any governmental
regulations subservient 10 the interests
or revenues Of the company" The
proclamation Of May 8. 1858, is disal-
lowed, and the contract With the Paei6c
&Gail Company 10 disapprsved. Secre-
tary Lytton In this dispatch discards n
tsto all claim OF exciusivensss Of pFivi-
lege 20 the Hneson Bsv Company. under
Its license Of trade" except the mere
franchise Of exclusive trade with the
indians.
Accompanying this ohRoiaI dispatch,
STR 4. BulweF Lytton transmitted q con-
fideatial letter 20 Governor Douglas ten
derine the commission Of First Governor
Of British Columbia, then about - Be
erected as q Colonial Government.
THE APPOINTMENT or oovEnxoR rEsDKRxD
SIR JAMES DOUGLAS, UPON HIS sEvEB-
ANoB or ooNNECrIoN WITH HUD-
aoS RAT AND PU0ET SOUND
AGRICULTURAL ceAGPANTEs.
Lord Lytton writes: "My public dis
patch Of this date will have shown you
the high value which Her Maissfy's
Government attach 10 your services,
and st the same time, will gard you
against some OF the errors into which
you may be led by your position as an
agent Of the Hudson Bsy Company.
while at the same time an OnicsF OF Her
Msissty's Government. The legal con
nectioa Of the HUDSON Bay Company
With Vancouver Island will shortly Be
severed BY the resumption By the Grown
OF the grant Of the soil. Aud their
legal rights on the continent terminate
IN May next. At all events. By The sxpiry
OF her lioense. II Her Majesty shosId
not be advised 10 terminate 10 sooner
on the establishment OF the nsw oel0ny.
ID b absolutely aeoessaFy. IN their visw.
tbaa the administration % the govern
meat, both Of Vancouver Island and
Of tbs mainland oppo1tte. sboaid Be en-
/ trusted 10 81 offieeF o. ofhoerB entirely
/ uuosnnecte4 With the company. wish,
theFefore, for your distinet statement 90
early - yOa can afford IL. vhefhsr goa
are willing on rsosivine the appoint
ment which is thus offered 20 y0u, t.
/ give up. within as short q time as may
be praetieable. su connection which yea
may have With that oonpsny either -
| its servant. or = SHAREHOLDER, or in any
other capacity
Oa ths slst OF yaly, Mr.. BaIwsr no
tided GJvafnor Doaeias, that the o0n-
/ hdenaiAl letter Of the 16th of JaiY.
/ shouid also have mentioned the PeRef
sound Agricultural Company, disoon-
nsctioB With which Vas also = siHs GNa
s0a 70 TIE reception Of an sppointmsnt
a. Governor Of British Coinmbia- On
the I4th % August, i65S. ths BTitish
Parliament passsd The set establishiE Z
q Rosernment for the provinoe Of Britt b
Colombia. In Transmitting 20 Sir Jsnf
DonREaz. the sopy Of said sst. Mr.. Bal
yer adVisas him ss its 1Fst GJvern0F.
that: afhe Hadson Bay Company have
hithsrto hAd a. exclusive right 10 trade
Il = - -